Defiant til the Last
by slakalot
Summary: My first attempt at FanFic so be nice . Vin meets up with an old enemy in an ambush that forces him to resort to the savagery that is still a part of him. Fighting for his life, defiance his only possession, he tries to hold out for Chris and the rest of the seven to find him.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: All characters from "The Magnificent Seven" series are the property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide, CBS, and anyone else with a legal right to them. All other characters are the creation of the author, and the events in this story are from the author's imagination. Those characters and the story belong to the author. The author wrote this story for her own personal pleasure and the pleasure of the reader and is making no money off of it.

Rating: strong violence and some coarse language.

**DEFIANT TIL THE LAST**

As they reached the crest of a small hill Vin suddenly stopped and sucked in a breath, raising his hand in a sharp motion, indicating to stop. Buck immediately reigned in his horse and looked to Vin.

"What is it?" he asked.

Vin didn't spare him a glance but said quietly and with urgency, "Go. Ride hard. Tell Chris it was a trap."

Buck was about to question him further but reacted to the sense of urgency in Vin's voice as he whispered harshly, "Go-now! I'll cover you and follow!"

Buck made haste. Something was very wrong here, more than Vin was saying, but he knew as well as anyone that Vin's instincts were to be trusted. They had saved everyone's ass time and time again.

Gunfire erupted at Buck's retreating form and he heard the bark of Vin's covering fire. He gave his horse another urgent kick, hoping against hope that Vin was behind him.

Vin continued firing, watching as Buck retreated safely into the treelike below. A few riders gave chase before a shout of "Hold fire!" came in a loud commanding voice. "That wasn't him, he's still up here. Get the men back to search the hill, he's still up here somewhere."

Vin knew he couldn't make a break for it now. They'd ambushed him well, he'd give them that. He would have to make a stand here, had known it when he'd told Buck to go for help. He'd fought against bad odds before, but there were at least ten men that he had counted so far. He took his position in the harsh undergrowth and took out his knife. This was no time to be making noise.

Patiently he waited until his first assailant was within arms reach. Snaking out his arm he slit the man's throat, silently pulling him into the undergrowth with him. Another man soon followed and met the same fate then a third, who managed a short yelp before taking his place in the bushes. Vin cursed, that yelp could cost him.

"Wes?" another man called, having heard the cry of his companion and Vin almost grinned, the idiot have given away his position precisely.

He was close, only a few feet away now and Vin tensed, ready again. He was numb now, devoid of emotion, efficiently doing what he had to, what he was best at. Killing… surviving.

"C'mon," he thought to himself, "That's it…"

Another man emerged then. "Where's Wes?"

"Don't know, somethin's goin on. Where's Charlie an' Lem?"

Regardless, they both kept coming, closer, closer…

Vin had to reach a little further out from his cover to stab the first man in the heart before leaping to the stunned second man and swiftly ending his life, deeply slicing his throat, almost severing the head in the process.

Blood covered him now, hot, thick and putrid and they were alert to him. Men were heading quickly his way. One fired in his general direction.

"Alive!" he heard an order, the same authoritative voice that had called the cease fire. "Don't kill him!"

The wanted him alive, huh? That was hard to achieve when aiming at a moving target. Satisfied that he'd evened the odds some, Vin drew his mare's leg and began to run to his horse. Seeing Peso standing patiently where he'd left him, he quickly shot the man guarding him, not breaking stride. Almost within arms reach of the reins he felt a burning agony in the back of his thigh and stumbled. It didn't stop his flight and he got one hand on peso's reins, ready to use his momentum to swing himself up, but his stumble cost him. It gave the men time to get closer and it was enough for one to grab his leg before he could swing himself up.

He changed plans fluidly, turning and half kneeling and raising his gun all at once, shooting the man grabbing his leg point blank before he felt another searing pain, this time in his arm. He lost his grip on his rifle and cursed even as he reached for it.

"It's over, Indian lover."

Vin paused with his hand on his gun and looked up to see a huge man towering above him, flanked by six men. The large man was toying with a small silver knife and Vin looked down to his wounded arm to see an exact copy of that knife protruding from deep in the muscle. He knew this man by reputation, Joe Cutter was the name he was referred to. He was legendary for killing his adversaries with the specially crafted blades he kept around his belt. Vin could see at least three more of them hanging there, waiting for a chance to be let loose. Again he eyed his gun, his hand tightening on the smooth grip.

"Don't even think about it son," Joe warned, hefting his knife almost casually.

As if in confirmation, the other men raised their guns, all cocked and ready to fire and with a sigh Vin moved his hand away from his weapon in surrender, preparing himself to wait for a better opportunity. He raised his arms as best he could, indicating his surrender but before he could get his feet under him to stand another shot rang out and he found himself flung backwards by the impact of another bullet in his shoulder.

The men looked at each other in confusion, quickly finding the one among them that had defied orders and shot the prisoner. Then the men parted and Vin, now having struggled back to his knees, looked up to see the man he had first noticed when he'd ridden up the crest of the hill with Buck. The man's attention was on the cowboy that had shot him though and his face bore a look of pure rage.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" he shouted at the man who was still holding his gun aimed at Vin.

"He killed my brother!" The man said back, gesturing at Vin, clearly wanting to finish him off.

Before the argument could continue there was another shot and the cowboy was dead. End of discussion.

Still holding his smoking gun the leader said to the rest of the men, "We talked about this, you obey my orders or you die. You wanna get paid you do as I say, it's that simple. There's no room for getting personal, you're getting paid too much for that. You don't like it leave now."

The men all stayed where they were, although most avoided eye contact with their boss. They weren't going anywhere. He was right, it was damn good money and jobs that paid this well didn't come along every day.

The leader's attention then fell on Vin and all Vin could make out was the twisted smirk on the man's thin lips. It was all he could do not to shudder at that look. It was a mark of the evil the man held inside and Vin's own hatred shone through his pain infused eyes.

"I see you remember me Tanner..."

Vin stayed silent as the man looked him over, eyeing the knives sticking out of him and the blood that was flowing freely from his shoulder. He took in every detail of his face, older now than the last time they had met and no doubt tight from the pain he was feeling. It was just the beginning, that much Vin knew.

"I'm offended, Tanner. No howdy for an old friend?"

Vin almost growled. "Who could forget a sick bastard like you Merris?" His voice was low and raw, but deceptively calm.

The grin vanished. "Careful son, or I'll forget my plans for you and kill you right here."

"Go ahead," Vin replied, managing to get his feet under him and standing shakily, determined not to cower before the bastard, "Do it. I'm not a little kid you can mess with any more."

Ignoring him, Meriss turned to his men. "Where's Wes, Jackson…?"

"Dead Colonel." one of the men answered. Gesturing at Vin angrily he continued, "The bastard's like a fucking Indian, slit their throats. They didn't have a chance."

There was a short silence as the men took this in and then Meriss asked quietly, "How many?"

"Wes, Jackson, Phillips, Cobes, Tez…. Five."

Another silence. Meriss looked at Vin, not surprised but unable to hold back a grudging respect for this man and his talent either. He had been a talented marksmen from a young age, but Meriss had never realised how much potential he had really had back then.

He knew the men around him feared the long-haired Texan. He knew for a fact when he had been putting men together for this job that there were some that didn't want any part of taking him down, some out of fear and some out of respect for what they had heard about him. It was well known that he was trained by Indians and knew how to truly hurt a man if he wanted to. As slight in build as he was, he was solid and lean and moved with the graceful stealth of a predator. They had feared him before they had even witnessed his skill in killing a man first hand, based on his reputation alone. And well they should too, he thought, although none would ever admit to it.

Still, there were men that loved the hunt, wanted to be first in line to bring down a man with a reputation like Tanner's. He'd counted on them being enticed by that alone yet alone the money he was offering up. It was these mean sons of bitches that he had gladly paid to help him finally achieve the one goal that he had nurtured for too many years. Since the day a young boy had turned on him and left him for dead in an alley.

With that thought he snapped sharply "bring him to the camp, we'll head back to the property," and turned and left without a backward glance.

Joe walked up to Vin and with no ceremony and pulled the knife from his shoulder. The prisoner made no sound so he turned and moved behind him, pulling his other knife from his leg just as efficiently. Vin winced, but still made no sound. That one had lodged deeper than the first.

Vin met the man's eyes for the briefest of moments as he came to stand before him again and saw no emotion in them. He was simply a hired man, paid to do his job. It wasn't personal for him. But Vin's eyes promised retribution all the same.

He was led back to the camp. Struggling with his wounded leg he was shoved forward, falling hard before being dragged back up roughly and shoved forward again to get moving.

Three men covered him as they bound his hands and feet and threw him to the ground near an old tree, trying him to it while they packed up to move out. To the casual observer, he appeared almost relaxed, but he was watching them all intently. He silently weighed up each man as he took stock of his injuries. They were a rough lot, but they were seasoned killers, all of them. For whatever else they lacked, they could kill men with ease. They looked to know each other well and seemed loyal enough to the man paying them. Whatever their motivation they had stayed when they had the chance to leave, so they were seeing this through. And they were definitely pissed at him for killing their friends, if they were merely objectively carrying out their duty before. This was definitely not looking good.

Chris and the rest of the boys were in the saloon meeting with Travis Jones, a local rancher. He was having problems with cattle theft and they were turning over the possibilities as to who might be taking them.

Chris sat quietly, not fully able to focus on the problem at hand. His mind was on Vin and Buck who had set out early that morning to track a government officials' missing horse. What hadn't sat right with him was the way in which the official had specifically asked for Vin. He had apparently heard that Vin was the best tracker in the area and had demanded his help to find his valuable possession. Chris had asked Buck to go along, with no argument from him. They had all thought it a bit suspect the way the man had demanded Vin on the job. Buck, too, had been worried and went along willingly. If the man knew enough about Vin's reputation to know he was a damn fine tracker, there was the chance he'd heard enough to know he was a wanted man.

Buck had ridden hard to get back to Four Corners. They'd been a good half days ride away when they'd been ambushed and dusk had well settled by the time he reached the outskirts of town. It hadn't taken him long to realise that Vin wasn't following him, neither were the men, for that matter. He'd circled back and seen them take Vin and he'd known right then that it was him that they had wanted and if they'd wanted him dead, they would have done it already. He also knew that he needed help, there were too many of them for him to deal with alone. As much as it nearly killed him to ride away and leave his friend there, he knew that the only chance he had for surviving whatever they had planned for him was to get him help. This had been one big set-up and as grim as it was, Buck knew they weren't going to end it quickly given the amount of planning they'd put in place. Time Vin had, but how it would be spent was something he couldn't think about. His only thought was to get him the help he needed before it ended.

He saw the saloon ahead and once more spurred his tired horse forward.

Chris looked up as the saloons swinging doors burst open and a tired and weary Buck stormed in, his face intent as he looked for them.

The men were on their feet instantly.

"What is it?" Chris asked, straight to the point. "Where's Vin?"

"Ambush." Buck said simply. "It was a set-up, they were after Vin." Downing the drink thrust into his hand as Nathan pushed him to a chair he told them how Vin had sensed the danger and covered his escape before he was taken.

"Who was it?" Chris asked in a low voice, one that all five men knew well as indicating a calm before the storm. "Was it the government official?"

"I don't know, I couldn't make out the leader," Buck said. "There were too many of them around him. There were at least ten left when I saw Vin get taken down." He looked up at Chris who was standing above him, his body rigid and waiting for the chance to fly into action. Chris liked to have all the information he could, though, before he entered a battle. "He was hurt, on the ground, but I couldn't make much out. They wanted him alive though, I heard the order not to kill him so I knew I had to get help. There was too many of them."

Chris studied Buck's face a moment and nodded, putting one hand on his old friend's shoulder as he started moving to the door. The time for talking was over. He knew all he needed to know.

The others all moved to follow and Buck got up wearily to do the same. He knew he'd need another horse for the long ride back.

They'd thrown him over a horse, strapped down with just enough give in the ropes to let him suck in shallow, dust-filled air. Another man sat on Vin's horse, under order from the Colonel, his fear evident as he waited with certainty to be thrown off the ornery beast.

Vin had lost feeling in his arms due to the wound and the harsh bindings holding his hands behind his back and it was all he could do to concentrate on pulling in air as he was jostled and bumped with the horses movements, his chest pummelled continually by the hard saddle.

He hoped Buck had made it back. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew his friends were his only hope now. The colonel would never let him go alive. Thinking of Buck caused him to frown in thought. Why hadn't they pursued him? It was a mistake to let him ride out, surely they knew he would return with reinforcements...

They rode on through the night and Vin started to doze, he had lost enough blood to make him feel sick and weak. His mind recalled the time years before when Meriss had treated him like a son, not that Vin had had anyone to compare that too.

Vin was a natural marksmen and Meriss had spotted him out hunting one day. It had taken little to get the skinny, ragged little boy to follow him and his men into missions for the army. He convinced Vin that the people they were killing were murderer's that had to be stopped and that they were working under orders from the government to help innocent people. Vin was young and naive enough to believe that an army would only act with good intention, that they were bound by rules of honour. Meriss's strict leadership did not surprise Vin, he'd spent years with a Grandfather that had punished him for the smallest mistakes. When he had met up with the Colonel, he had believed that his life was worth little, that being beaten and abused was a normal thing to be endured. He was tired of being alone, always scavenging for food and watching his back from predators, animals and humans alike. The Colonel had never laid a hand on him, so he had stayed. But he watched what happened to men who did the Colonel wrong and remained wary.

They were camped on the outskirts of a town and Meriss had taken him with a few men to case out their next mission. Leaving them to drink in the saloon for a bit he had wandered to the livery. He always felt more at peace with animals than humans and sought out his horse. It surprised him when a man had stepped out of the shadows of a stall to talk with him. He had felt instantly that the man meant him no harm. It was in his face and most especially in his eyes. He had thought that he knew how to read people well back then… He remembered his face as he had spoken to him in the dim light of the stable. He'd told him that he knew why he was in town. He's said that he knew that Meriss was good to him and that he was loyal to him, but that his trust was misplaced. He told him that Meriss was using him to do bad things, to kill the wrong people.

Vin had gotten mad when something in the man's tone stopped him from speaking out. He'd quietly said, "Son, there have been others before you. It's not your fault. You're young and he has used you wrongly. You're a good kid, I can tell. Meriss gives you a chance at regular meals and a place to sleep, it's OK that you don't believe me and it's good to be loyal, but he's going to ask you to kill a young boy." At Vin's protesting face he held up his hand, "Just hear me out. You are here to kill a young boy and no matter how he justifies it, that boy is innocent. You, too, have been an innocent… until now. You kill that boy and you do it knowing that it's wrong. They want to punish the boy's father for getting in their way and they aim to do it by sending him a message by killing his innocent son. You do that son, you're stepping over the line…." He'd waited until Vin had met his eyes, "and I don't want to see that happen to you." Vin had been upset and was torn between protesting and asking the man why the hell he cared what happened to him, he'd never met him before, when the man had turned and said he had to go before they saw him talking with him.

He'd been quiet on the return to camp, although he hardly ever spoke anyway so nobody thought anything amiss. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was looking at Meriss with new eyes. He had no idea who that man had been or what his agenda was, but everything Meriss said and did from that point on seemed to be slightly off centre to Vin. Had his own selfish need to belong somewhere blinded him to what was going on?

It was a few days later that Meriss told him their plans in town. Walking through the town he laid out how it would go down, who would be where during a street celebration the next day to welcome a new minister to the town. Finally he told Vin to observe a man down the street, the new minister. Next to him was a boy younger than Vin, laughing with a little girl who held his hand and looked up to him, sharing a joke. Vin's heart had begun to race. Maybe he'd known it on some level before, but hadn't wanted to believe it. Meriss was using him to kill people, and the people didn't deserve to die. He listened as Meriss told him the rest of the plan to take out the boy and remained quiet, as always, giving no indication that anything was wrong.

That night he hadn't slept well but knew what he had to do, no matter what it cost him. In some way he had to start atoning for his sins. The killing had to stop.

The celebration was in full swing when the minister took the stand at the makeshift podium and began to thank the crowd for the warm welcome they had given him and his family, standing beside him. That was Vin's queue. He looked down his scope from his position on the roof of the general store and saw the young boy, looking up at his father so proudly and with such love that it almost hurt him to watch. He began to squeeze the trigger of his rifle, slowly edging it down, barely breathing in his concentration. Finally he fired… and missed, the shot hitting barely inches above the boys' head and sending the crowd into a mad panic. The minister gathered his family behind him and began to move towards a building.

Vin leapt down from the roof and ran madly for his horse. He knew that Meriss would come after him and he had no time to waste but when he got the alley he found Meriss already holding the reins to his horse whilst seated on his own. The look on his face was one Vin would not soon forget. He'd seen it before, but never directed at him and it never ended well.

"I missed." Vin had said calmly.

"You don't miss." Meriss's eyes were so cold Vin began to sweat. "Get on your horse," he'd ordered.

Vin got up and Meriss kept his hold on the reigns as he urged his own horse forward, heading towards the podium where the minister had last stood with his family only moments before. He rode on, heading past a building and then guiding them into an alley at its side. There Vin saw the minister, trying desperately to shelter his children and wife from harm. Vin saw their eyes, round and full of fear. Fear of him. He'd felt sick.

"Finish it," Meriss demanded, and Vin turned to look at him, then back at the boy, now crying openly.

"This is wrong, Colonel. Ain't right ta kill a boy, he ain't done nuthin' wrong."

Meriss looked at him as if he'd sprouted another head. Perfect, silent obedience was all he'd had from the boy, until now. He was livid and struck out instantly, nearly knocking him from his horse. "You're disobedience has cost the whole family boy. Now we have to kill 'em all, thanks to you."

Vin was appalled. He couldn't stop looking at the children, their tears and wide eyes were destroying him. Then the minister spoke, "Please, spare my children… my wife… it's me you want…."

"I wont do it any more, I aint doin' it, this's wrong." Vin said, feeling himself being closed in, his back to the wall. His mind was reeling, trying to find a way to escape the whole scene.

Meriss looked at him a moment, his rage almost audible. Then he raised his gun and shot first the father and then moved his rifle to the wife. Before he could get the shot off he was thrown backwards and flew down to the ground. Vin lowered his smoking rifle and looked down at the man he had trusted. The shot was right in his chest, a mortal wound, but he had no regret.

"It's wrong what you do, Colonel. I aint gonna let it happen no more." He turned to the minister's wife. "I'm sorry ma'am. Get him help," he indicated the minister on the ground, writhing in pain. He turned his horse and sped the back way out of town, not stopping for anything until he was long gone and knew they weren't following him.

Following that was one of the longest years of Vin's life. He knew how to survive, had done it for years before he'd met up with the Colonel, but now that he'd known what it was like to be a part of something, he was lonely this time. When he met up with two Indian braves about his age out hunting one day, he knew he was entering into the next phase of his life. He'd felt an almost immediate sense of peace when they'd asked him to join them after some time.

Over the years he had learnt much from them about life and what was truly important. With their help he became a good man, and was able to forgive himself for the time he had spent doing Meriss's bidding. He learnt to worry about the present and what lay ahead, not things in the past that he couldn't change.

The sudden halt of the horse beneath him brought him awake. Dawn was upon them and they had halted on a rise and met with more riders who led them down to what Vin thought was a veritable fortress. There were numerous buildings and the place appeared impenetrable. He was beginning to lose hope and was determined that if he was going to go down, he would take the colonel with him.

They entered the compound and Vin was untied and pulled roughly from the horse. He stumbled and fell, weak from his wounds and the long ride and unable to use his hands to break his fall. He got to his knees but was kept there by a hard hand on his shoulder from Joe. Truth was, he didn' think he would have made it to his feet right then.

The riders dismounted outside the main stable and the colonel called over his shoulder, "You know where to put him," as he went to the main building.

Once again he was dragged up and shoved forward. He concentrated on keeping one foot in front of the other as he was led into a small building around the rear of the main house and shoved inside a door. His heart froze as he realised there was nothing in the room save for a table and chair. It was glaringly obvious that this room had been prepared just for him. It looked like it had been recently cleaned out and just the chair and the table were there to occupy the space. Like they didn't want anything else getting in the way. And the purpose of that room was also obvious. The items laid out precisely on the table told him that. This was _definitely_ not looking good.

He was led to the centre of the room where there was a length of rope hanging from a thick beam. He'd missed that, trying as he had been to intently avoid looking at the table. Joe and two others circled him. One pulled a knife and moved to cut his ropes. His hands free, Vin's instincts had him lunging sideways, kicking the knife from the man's hand and grabbing it in one swift move as it fell towards the ground. Unprepared, the man could only gasp as Vin thrust the knife deep into his throat, kicking out at the other man at the same time and delivering a solid blow to his chest.

He was extricating the knife to use again when he was punched hard to the side of his jaw and stumbled on his injured leg. Joe followed up the blow with another punch to his head and he felt his bottom lip explode under the impact. He staggered back again before he felt an agonising burning in his shoulder where the man he had kicked had grabbed him from behind and was applying pressure to his bullet wound with his thumb. He cried out involuntarily, more a howl of frustration and was yanked forward by Joe, his arms caught and bound fast before being pulled roughly above his head and his wrists strapped to the beam by the rope. His feet barely touched the floor, forcing his arms to bear most of his weight and the pain in his shoulder had his vision blurring at the edges. The rough rope bit instantly into his wrists and he hung there a moment, breathing shallow breaths as he tried to adjust to the new position.

"You'll pay for that," the outlaw said angrily, still holding his ribs and moving forward with deadly intent.

Joe turned to leave. "Don't kill him," he said and left them alone.

"That was my friend you killed you savage bastard!"

Vin didn't speak, just kept his gaze steady on the man before him.

Disconcerted by the lack of emotion in the smaller man the outlaw hesitated, then looked again to his fallen friend and the blood pooling from his throat. He began with a hard punch to Vin's already bruised jaw and proceeded to beat the living hell out of him.

Just as the darkness was truly taking over his vision the blows stopped abruptly. He looked up to see the colonel holding the man's arm back, his face a blatant mask of outrage.

"What the _hell_ do you think you are doing?" he raged, taking in the sight of Vin's battered and barely conscious form.

Vin was conscious enough to feel the keen sense of de ja vu. The last man hadn't gotten away with it either. He took some satisfaction in that.

"He killed Bryant," the man said simply, gesturing to his dead friend. The colonel was silent a moment, when he spoke again his voice was low, deadly.

"I thought I made it clear when I got everyone together not to let this man get to you, that it wasn't personal for you," he said.

"It _got_ personal," the man spat back.

"You're an idiot Simmons," the colonel said, pulling his other arm up to reveal his gun. He aimed it at Simmons' head and with no further preamble, sent the man to hell with one shot.

Vin had known it was coming but he still flinched as the blood sprayed his face and chest and the man dropped to the floor, clearly dead before he hit the ground.

Men came running at the sound of the gunshot. Several burst through the door and stood trying to work out the scene before them.

"Colonel?" one asked, looking at the still smoking gun in the colonel's hand.

"Take these bodies out of here," was the short reply. As an after-thought he added, "I'll say this one more time, I will not tolerate weakness amongst my men. I gave an order not to touch this prisoner and I will not tolerate disobedience."

The men looked at him silently and for a moment it looked like their would be trouble but the Colonel was nothing if not shrewd and calculating.

"Simmons' pay will get spread round the rest of you equal I full once the job's done."

And as easy as that the men stepped forward to gather the fallen bodies and drag them outside, their eyes flicking to the man hanging by a rope in the centre of the room as they left him alone with the colonel.

"Finally," the colonel said as the door closed behind the men. He moved to the single chair and simply sat, leaning back like he was in a bar after a long day.

He remained silent so long that Vin was tempted to give in and peek up at him through his hair. As it was his head was hanging down and he couldn't see through the hair over his face. Maybe Buck was right, maybe he needed a haircut.

The silence stretched on and Vin knew that the man was trying to unnerve him, but if there was one thing he was good at, it was being patient. Finally though it seemed the Colonel came to the same conclusion and rather than have the silence stretch indefinitely he got to his feet, loud enough to make sure Vin knew he was approaching him.

The Colonel was angry all right, but it was aimed at the cuts and bruises marring his prisoners flesh already. No-one was going to get the satisfaction of hurting this man but himself.

He grabbed a handful of the long hair and yanked Vin's head up to meet his gaze, startled by the clarity in the blue eyes. So the son of the bitch _had_ just been waiting him out.

"Get on with it you gutless, sick bastard. What're ya waiting for?" Vin said in a surprisingly strong voice and the Colonel couldn't be sure but he thought he saw a slight smirk on the bloodied mouth.

He recovered quickly though. "You never learn Tanner. Even now you refuse to bend, but I will break you. I owe you that much and more. You've been a thorn in my reputation for years and I aim to make sure that ends tonight."

"Go ahead Meriss. Reputations outlive the man. Your men all fear me, they've seen how I get under your skin. They'll always know I was better'n you, that it took an army of 'em to bring me down cos you couldn't handle me alone." He looked up at his tied hands ruefully, "Least not without hog-tyin' me first." He looked back into the Colonel's eyes. "In killin' me, you lose again."

The colonel wasn't a stupid man by any means, not easily goaded, but damned if every word the bastard said wasn't true and he knew it. His anger was palpable. He'd spent years hearing about the man Vin Tanner had become. Tales and gossip followed him everywhere. Whispers of Indian learnings, of murders and gun slinging friends. He'd never taken the time to find out what sort of a boy he'd been all those years ago, had only used him where he'd needed to. Now he knew that in that quiet boy had been a quick and cunning mind.

Meriss used his free hand to backhand Vin with force before stepping back, visibly trying to control his anger. He had all night, he didn't want to get carried away and spoil his plans.

Chris and the others had ridden hard through the night, the bright light of a full moon allowing them to push on instead of having to wait until dawn to set out. They reached the site of the ambush as the sun was beginning its slow climb into the sky and were looking for signs of which way the men had gone with Vin.

"Over here!" Ezra suddenly called, crouched on the ground.

Chris and Buck moved over and saw blood covering the ground.

Nathan was searching some nearby bushes and called out, "There's a lot of blood here, a lot of scuffling around… sweet Lord!"

All six looked up sharply.

"What is it Nate?" Josiah asked, straining to see where Nathan was looking.

Chris quickly moved to Nathan's side as he peered into some undergrowth. "What's-?" His question was cut off when he saw what Nathan had, than answer plain. He moved further in and saw the bodies, piled on top of each other, 3,4,5…"Jesus," he whispered softly.

"What is it?" Buck asked, straining to see.

"Help me here," Chris said, dragging the first body out.

Nathan and Buck helped until all five dead men were lying flat on the open ground.

"What the hell happened to them?" JD asked in horror.

"It appears Mr Tanner was not taken without a degree of resistance," Ezra stated.

"How many were there if they still managed to get him after he took out five of them?" Nathan asked.

"At lease fifteen then," Buck said, for he'd seen ten left when Vin had been taken down.

"He was being quiet about it, must have hidden here," Chris said, indicating the bushes where the men had been hidden. Chris was in leader-mode, he had to be if he was to stop himself from quickly becoming insane with worry and guilt.

The men were in silent awe. Each knew that in the same situation with the odds so high against them they would most likely not have gotten so far. These deaths had been silent, cunning. They had all known that Vin was a talented hunter, but had never before been witnesses to the brutal carnage that now lay in his wake, however necessary it had been. There was a new healthy respect forming amongst them.

"This one's been shot," Nathan looked at the ravaged gut of the man closest to him. There was more of his stomach outside than in. "I think..."

Chris's mouth quirked at the obvious damage of Vin's mare's leg, but it wasn't a smile. It was more of a tip of the hat to his absent friend.

"Vin's gun?" JD asked.

"Must've shot at close range," Buck thought out loud, for it was obvious.

"Must've been out of options," Josiah said solemnly.

They were all silent a moment, taking that in, thinking what to do next.

"So now what? And who the hell are they?" Buck broke the silence impatiently. He wanted blood. He was dealing with his own guilt and anger and was growing more agitated by the minute.

"This one looks kinda familiar," JD said, studying the one they had called Wes. "Might've seen him on a wanted poster or somethin'."

"Most likely JD," Josiah said.

"Lets search for tracks," Chris said.

It wasn't hard to find the trail. There were still nearly ten riders and they had made no effort to cover their tracks.

"Lot of riders for one man," Josiah commented, meaning '_they wanted Tanner bad.'_

Chris studied the ground in front of him, trying to keep his emotions in check. Getting angry wasn't going to help get his friend back, but he was worried, damn worried and the trail wasn't headed to Tuscosa. Whatever this was, it was personal and the riders were confident, not caring who followed. All he could do was pray that Vin stayed alive and as alarming as the thought was, facts were this had taken a lot of planning, so it was obvious they didn't plan on killing him quick. _"Hold on Pard, we're comin, you hold on."_

The door opened, casting a sliver of light on the body that hung limply inside the sparse cabin. He appeared dead already, but if you looked close enough, his chest was still moving painfully in and out.

Vin heard the Colonel approaching but didn't raise his head. He was damn tired and fading fast. His arms now took all of his weight, his legs unable to hold him any longer and the strain on his shoulder had long since stopped bothering him. He couldn't feel his arms any more and he wasn't sure if he should be grateful for that.

The crack of a whip was the next sound he heard before his head was once again yanked up. Damned if he wasn't going to just cut his hair off if he managed to get out of this mess. That thought brought a smile to his lips. That would make Buck happy at least, stop him hassling him every second day about getting a hair cut.

"Still cocky Tanner?" I'm gonna do this nice an' slow so you don't die on me too quick. I've waited a long time for this."

"Man's gotta have a dream," Vin murmured, but the Colonel heard him all the same and his jaw clenched angrily.

He nodded to the third man in the room and he stepped forward, cutting the already tattered shirt off Vin's back and dragging it down. The knife bit into Vin's skin and he hissed with the shock of it. Before the Colonel could say anything the man apologised for his clumsiness, sincerity nowhere near his voice.

"Stand outside the door," the Colonel commanded the man who obeyed silently. He couldn't afford to kill every one of them, tempting as that might be.

Vin waited, preparing himself for a pain he had hoped never to endure again. It had taken years for his old scars to fade and here it was, starting over.

No amount of preparation could have helped him from the agonising lash of the whip as Meriss toyed with him, well known for his mastership of the weapon – and his cruel use of it. Indeed Vin had seen him use it on men more times than he liked to remember.

Meriss hadn't intended to lash out so hard this first time, but sick as his mind was he took to the task with passion once he saw blood start to surface. He pulled his arm back again and again, waiting for some sound, any noise at all, to come from his prisoner. It was several minutes later that he stood silently, looking at the criss-crossed mess of Vin's back and his limp, lifeless body, and realised he'd passed out.

Frustrated he moved to the door.

"Bring me water!" he barked to the man outside.

Vin was floating somewhere in a dark, painful hell all of his own, not quite conscious and yet not completely free of the pain that consumed him. Freezing cold water thrown over him roused him again and he blinked to clear his eyes, opening them to focus unsteadily on Meriss's cruel stare.

"Welcome back Tanner, ready for another round?"

"Whatever you have to do Meriss," he said hollowly.

Meriss struck out, slapping Vin hard with the back of his hand before grabbing his jaw in a painful grip and staring into his defiant blue eyes. "You'll break, Tanner. Everyone has their limit, we'll reach yours real soon."

"That so?" Vin said. He knew he shouldn't challenge him, but couldn't seem to stop himself.

Meriss almost snarled. "I'm going to make you beg me to kill you before this is over."

Vin mustered his waning strength and gave him a hard stare. "That's not gonna happen," he said with quiet conviction.

Unable to contain himself Meriss began to pound him, punching him with painful, lowly dealt blows to his stomach and chest until Vin again passed out. The position of his arms restricted his ability to pull in air and the shorts breaths were getting to him.

When he woke again it was still dark but he was alone. He let a low moan of utter pain and desolation escape his throat, unheard by another living soul. He hurt everywhere. Why couldn't he just stay unconscious?

A short while later Meriss entered with Joe and another man Vin didn't recognise.

"Jesus, you've had a good time hey Meriss?" the man laughed, eyeing Vin with obvious amusement.

"Just do what I'm paying you to Alvis and hurry up," Meriss snapped.

"Alright, alright," Alvis said, not intimidated in the slightest. "You'll have to hold his mouth," he said, nodding to Joe.

Joe grabbed Vin's jaw and pried open his mouth. Vin could see Alvis fiddling with a vial of dark fluid and felt his panic mount. Physical pain he could deal with, as long as his mind was clear and he could focus on it, but this...

The man approached him and he began to struggle, trying to tear his jaw out of its painful hold, causing the wounds on his wrists to tear open and blood to again flow from his shoulder wound.

"Hold him still," Alvis said moving forward, having seen the same reaction many a time and looking almost bored.

Vin's struggles only increased as Joe took a firmer grip on him from behind him, one arm preventing his body from swaying and the other coming around his neck, fingers clamped to his jaw and prying his mouth open.

"For God's sake," Meriss said in frustration. He stepped forward and pistol whipped him, just the right amount of practiced force to his temple to stun him and yet keep him aware of what was happening.

Vin's jaw relaxed while they held his mouth open and poured the liquid in. He tasted the foul liquid as it filled his mouth and closed his throat to it as Joe closed his mouth and held it tightly shut. The man called Alvis covered his nose and pinched it shut cutting off his air completely.

Vin closed his eyes, out of options, not that he had had any to start with. He held his breath as long as he could, knowing this was one situation he wasn't going to be able to wait out. Until he swallowed they weren't going to give him any air. Seconds turned into a minute.

"He's a tough one hey, Meriss?" Alvis said, watching the concentration and determination on the young man's face even though his eyes were closed. He knew it was only a matter of time though, it always was.

"He wont be strong for much longer," Meriss returned confidently. "Keep the pressure on tight," he said both men holding Vin, "this outta do it", and he punched Vin in the stomach, hard.

Unable to let the forced air out Vin began to choke through the hand covering his mouth and nose. To his horror, he swallowed reflexively. Seeing this, the hands were removed from his face and he gasped for air, sure he'd inhaled most of the vile stuff as he coughed and gagged in reaction to both the blow and the burning fire down his throat.

Meriss merely smirked.

"Fuck you, Meriss", Vin gasped raggedly, struggling to get his breath back. "This the only way you can beat me? You know… that one on one… you'd be dead, an' everyone else knows it too you weak bastard."

"Nevertheless Tanner, I've won. However you choose to look at it, you're at my mercy... and soon you'll be dead." Meriss's voice reflected calm. He was controlled for once, refusing to be goaded with his victory so near in sight.

They left him then to succumb to the liquid coursing down into his stomach, soon to take a hold of his body and mind. He attempted to throw it up to no avail, a small empty heave as much as he could produce from his aching chest, not able to move his body enough to help him.


	2. Chapter 2

From their vantage above the compound the rest of the seven watched the comings and goings of the men down below. The layout was daunting in its size and there had yet to be a sign of Vin.

"He's here somewhere, we just gotta look for a sign." Chris said, eyes never stopping their constant surveillance of the buildings and men, looking for something to give Vin's location away.

There were men guarding the entrance to the main building and several stationed around other posts, the rest were inside who knew which building, although Chris assumed it was one of the smaller, outer ones that was allocated for hired hands.

After some time JD pointed to the right of the main building. "Look there," he said.

"What is it, JD?" Buck asked, leaning over to look.

"Few men went round the back there, behind the building," he said.

They continued to watch until the three men returned from around the right wall back into view.

One of the men was massive and Chris, Buck and Nathan all sucked in their breath.

"Is that…."

"Looks like it."

Only Chris didn't speak. They knew who the man was by sheer reputation. They could see the knives glinting from his belt in the dawning sunlight even from the distance they were.

"Who is it?" JD asked impatiently, "The tall man? Who is he?"

"That's Joe Cutter, JD. One mean bastard you don't want to mess with."

"What's he-"

"Quiet." Chris indicated silence.

They strained to hear the voices but couldn't make anything out.

"We're never going to get any further down there without being spotted," Nathan said in frustration.

They remained silent, each looking for a solution.

"Excuse me for a moment, gentleman, I will return shortly," Ezra said and was gone before anyone could react.

"What the hell is he up to now?" Buck asked.

Within a few minutes he was back, carrying one of his saddlebags with him.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Ezra asked quietly, emptying the contents before them.

All except Chris turned to look at the ground.

"Jesus, Ez, what the hell you doin' carrying that stuff around?" JD asked, shocked.

But Buck was smiling widely and he clapped Ezra on the back, "Good thinkin' Ez, we'll win this fight yet!"

Chris now turned to see what Ezra had with him. He studied the dynamite for the briefest second and shot Ezra a look of gratitude. It was so brief that Ezra wasn't sure he'd even seen it.

"OK boys, Ezra, you circle back, come up round the outer side of that building there. The main blast can come down from that side. You make sure you place it right, just under that overhang of rock there, it should bring a lot of the verge down with it as well as create a mighty big distraction. We'll wait for your blast and move in."

Ezra moved instantly to do as Chris had ordered, turning and moving off before Chris stopped him with a hand to his arm. "And Ezra?" Ezra turned.

"Be careful, set it up and get the hell away quick, you've got a decent length of fuse to work with there, but get back all the same. They'll be lookin' up there first."

Ezra gave a short nod and moved out.

"Josiah, you get round a bit further ahead here and we'll set a small blast just to create a bit of dust and distraction. Soon as you hear Ezra's go, light her up and get yourself down there. JD you stay up here 'til the rest of us are down." At JD's look of anger and the protest he saw about to burst forth he continued. "You're our sharpshooter for today, kid. As they come out you'll be able to pick a few of 'em off from up here, give us more cover as we head down."

Buck almost laughed at the emotion on JD's face as it turned quickly from anger and indignation to obvious pride, but the situation was too serious.

"And take that damned hat off!" he said, bursting the kid's bubble and voicing his concern in one hit.

"OK lets go, Ezra wont take long to get round. Soon as the first blast goes we'll run down and take our positions. I'll take the two by the main building, you guys head out that way, wider..." he was gesturing with his hands. "Close in on the back o' that building. We don't know which one the rest of the boys are holed up in, hopefully JD'll peg a few as they come out, but watch your backs."

Nathan and Buck nodded, getting ready.

Vin couldn't tell how much time had passed when he again woke up again and realised that something was terribly wrong. The pain he felt was so intense it was washing over him in endless waves that had him struggling not to scream out in agony as each one hit. He began to sweat suddenly, profusely, the sweat finding every cut and tear in his skin, causing him still more pain. He felt sick, nausea threatening in a burn up his chest. He kept his eyes closed and his teeth clamped tightly, willing his brain to focus and get his body back under control.

He didn't see Meriss seated in the chair, watching his mounting pain with immense satisfaction. His tortured, delirious ramblings had stopped for the time being, but Meriss knew it wouldn't be long before they returned.

He moved up to him and pulled his head up, almost gently this time.

"Look at me, Tanner," he demanded softly.

Nothing. Vin's eyes remained tightly closed.

He slapped him then, "Look at me you son of a bitch!"

He slapped him again and Vin finally looked up and tried to focus on the source of his pain, his blue eyes reflecting his inner misery… and anger.

Ezra stepped back to check out his handiwork. There wasn't much time for messing around. He looked out over the complex below and although he couldn't see his friends from where they were concealed, he knew they would be ready. He lit the fuse and got the hell out of there.

Meanwhile Josiah was as ready as he could be. His hand hovering over the fuse he waited, ready to light it and take flight. He said a silent prayer that everything would be alright just before he heard the massive explosion come from Ezra's position. He lit his fuse and ran to join the others.

"Lets go boys!" Chris said, already getting off a shot and making his way down to the buildings. One down, so far so good. The explosions had created utter chaos amongst the men. They were running from everywhere to see what the hell was going on. Professional killers many might have been, but not one of them wanted to be inside when the buildings were going to come down on them and bury them alive.

Buck fired off two shots, taking another man down. Nathan had taken cover behind a wall to avoid the gunfire that had started heading his way. A shot sounded from behind him and the bullets stopped coming at him. JD, bless his soul!

JD smiled in triumph as he shot the man that had Nathan pegged behind a building and watched Nathan make his way further towards the main building. The gunfight below was intense now but he could see that as Ezra and Josiah joined in, adding to the hail of bullets, things were evening out. They still had the element of surprise working for them as the men tried in vain to shoot all around them at once. They had created a loud entrance from all sides that had given the impression that the men were well and truly surrounded. He picked off two more before he was spotted and started to make his way down to join the others thinking to himself fleetingly that Vin would be proud of him.

Meriss sucked in a startled breath as he took in the blatant fury he saw staring back at him from Vin's face. Even now, this man dared to defy him. In what could only be described as a blinding rage he grabbed his whip from the table and circled it round Vin's throat, pulling tight and instantly cutting off his air.

"This is it, Tanner. You've pushed me too far. I'm gonna end your fucking worthless life here and now." He continued to choke him until Vin could not even manage a gasp. He was losing consciousness.

"Ask me to stop," Meriss said almost patiently.

Nothing.

"Ask me, just once… and I'll let you live. Let me hear you beg for your life. It's more than you gave me."

He let the leather out a little, giving Vin a much needed desperate gasp of air and the chance to speak.

His throat was on fire and he was literally writhing in agony from the still overwhelming pain that seemed to emanate from his very soul. He still recognised Meriss. He was staring at him, waiting… wanting something from him.. _what did he want?_

"Ask me to stop, just say stop and I will."

Vin could see his lips moving. He focused everything he had on that mouth and willed his mind to clear. If only for a second, he brought his gaze up to meet Meriss's eyes, holding them as he spoke. "You lose… Meriss," it was a soft whisper, barely audible, but Meriss had heard it clear as day and his face changed colour. He'd just tightened the whip with renewed force when he felt the ground shake beneath his feet.

Forced off balance he relinquished his hold, barely acknowledging the blast outside so intent was he on his task of killing Vin. There was madness in his eyes now, clear and frightening to behold.

"You left me for dead you little bastard. Turned on me and ran after all I'd done for you. Now I'm going to pay you back just like you did me. I'm gonna shoot you and leave you to bleed out into the dust. Let you feel the blood leaving you as you hang there and I just sit back and watch."

To the Colonel's total astonishment he realised that Vin was laughing. His eyes opened in shock and looked harder, seeing the mirth on his prisoners face and the rumble of silent laughter shake his chest.

"Are you insane?" he shouted at him, shaking him in frustration.

Vin felt the momentary insanity pass. "You listenin' to yerself Merris?" He gave a last tired chuckle and then sighed, knowing how it was going to end but not finding it in himself to care at that moment. He was in too much pain, was too tired and hurting to give a damn. "You talk too damn much," he almost whispered, his energy leaving him as fast as it had come.

Merris gaped at him, not knowing how to react for a moment. Nothing he had done had gotten to this man, nothing got under his skin. Suddenly he snapped, shaking him in total frustration. "You won't defy me again! You hear me?"

He moved back and took out his gun, unable to hold back any longer. He sensed all the activity outside but didn't stop to acknowledge the gunfire. He was confident that his men would hold them off, but didn't want to take the chance of them stopping him before he was done.

Suddenly the door burst open and Joe was there.

"There's men coming down from all around. It's the peacekeepers from the town. The man that rode off has brought reinforcements." 'The man you _let_ ride off', he thought with disdain. He'd told him it had been a mistake to let the man live.

Meriss took his eyes from Vin, annoyed even as the sounds of gunfire again erupted, closer now. Men were shouting and running, it sounded like a war had started."What's the problem? Take them down! We knew they'd come sooner or later!" He turned back to Vin, "Shame you won't get to say goodbye to your friends." He levelled his gun at Vin's chest, determined to get a few shots in first before he killed him.

"Get out there and kill them!" he ordered Joe, not glancing his way.

Joe moved to go back out the door just as a dark figure emerged in the still-open doorway. It was a match of skill and speed but as strong as the knife-throwers well-earned reputation was, he was not fast enough. Without meeting eyes the two men reached for their weapon of choice, both kept within close range of their every-ready hands. Cold metal passed hot metal but the bullet was faster.

Chris Larabee did not hesitate a second longer as he strode past the still falling man. His shot had aimed to kill and he'd given no thought to the knife that went wide of it's mark and shot out the still open door as he moved inside. He was adjusting his aim on his still raised gun when he realised he was too late. Even as his finger squeezed on the trigger he heard the gunshot and his own bullet was released just as Vin jerked violently, held by his arms to a beam in the roof.

Seeing that, he wished he had waited to end the man who'd shot Vin's life, but as it was, he continued firing until his gun was emptied into the man's chest. He regretted that a second later as he heard movement behind him, but as he reached for his other gun he stopped, realising it was Nathan and Buck.

Everything had gone suddenly quiet, both within the wall and outside. It seemed appropriate, Chris thought, as he moved forward to Vin, not yet looking at him just looking for the quickest way to get him down. Everything was out of balance. Vin's _life_ was out of balance. There should be a reverent silence for the man before him, struggling to take his next breath. He'd seen enough gunshot wounds to know that at this close of a range, the wound wasn't going to be pretty.

He was barely aware of Nathan and Buck stepping forward and moving to support Vin as he grabbed the chair and his knife and cut him down as fast as his tense hands could obey him. His mind did, however, register the raw mess that was Vin's back and the hole that had blasted it's way out of his exposed back.

"His back's a mess, Nate, we can't put him down here."

Nate let Buck and Chris support Vin's weight and moved to look. His face was murderous as he surveyed the damage.

"Let's get him to the main building," he said and turned to lead the way before anyone could protest. He knew Vin couldn't afford to lose any more time. He was bleeding out, but the dirt floor was nowhere that could help him.

As they left the building they ran into Ezra and Nathan didn't bother to fill him in. Looking at the red hell that was Vin's chest, the southerner didn't waste time asking questions either, he just turned to the main building where he knew they would be heading and went to see if he could find anything that would help.

JD and Josiah came around another building as they approached the main one and Chris shot orders to them. "JD, Josiah, get the horses put away and take up positions round the building, those boys'll be back. I'll send Ezra and Buck out once we get Vin inside."

They managed to get him settled inside in what appeared to be a master bedroom that Ezra quickly directed them to having scoped out the entire building. It was probably Meriss's own, but is was in the best position to keep a watch outside and hear a warning from the boys.

Vin hadn't made a sound, his face completely relaxed and his eyes remaining closed. His battered, tortured body lay still as Nathan tore the remains of his shirt away from the font, cursing softly as not only that wound was exposed, but others too.

"Hold pressure here," Nathan informed Buck, handing him what was left of Vin's shirt.

"Sweet Jesus," Buck whispered hoarsely. He didn't think he'd seen a man still breathing with the type of wounds Vin had.

"More pressure," Nathan ordered, frantically trying to determine the seriousness of all the other wounds. "I need to get some pressure on the exit wound."

Ezra was tearing up a pile of sheets that he had found somewhere as they lifted and turned him, Buck trying to keep as much pressure as he could on the large hole in Vin's chest. The exit wound was still pumping out blood and Nathan could not keep the look of despair from his face as he raced to try and staunch the flow. There was another bullet wound in his shoulder. It had stopped bleeding but there was no exit wound, he realised.

JD came into the room and none spoke for a moment as they each took in the horrific scene before them. Even JD was at a loss for words.

"We get 'em all?," Buck asked him, not looking up.

"All but two, they took off on foot. Josiah sent me in here to check on Vin, he wants to go after 'em."

Vin moaned then, a low, unconscious guttural sound of raw pain that tore at all of them. Chris openly flinched at the sound. He clasped Vin's arm. "Easy Pard, it's over. You're gonna be ok," he told him, not sure if he really believed that, not with the amount of blood he could see before him.

The exit wound was bad. It was all Nathan could do to replace one soaking bandanna and strips of material that Ezra was throwing at him with another. He ignored the rest of the bloody mass that was Vin's back for the time being. He'd registered the cause of all the blood but had not dared to give it any more thought, yet. The fact that one of his own had been brutally whipped was something he wasn't ready to face. He'd endured that pain himself, years before, and didn't want to see anyone else enduring the same.

"You'd be better off stayin' here," Buck told JD. "They wont go far on foot. They'll be back for what's theirs."

"I need more sheets, anythin' clean," Nathan said, the concern in his voice evident.

"Ez-" Chris didn't finish, Ezra had already left the room. "JD go back and tell Josiah to stay here."

"I'll be out in a minute kid," Buck told him, finally looking up to see the pale features of JD who was looking at Vin with what could only be described as fear.

JD nodded hollowly, swallowed and turned and left. Again there was silence as the men worked to stop the blood flow broken only by the low, ragged moans that were coming from Vin and the sound of his harsh breathing that was getting worse by the minute.

Chris continued to talk to him in a low voice, holding his arm and muttering incoherent words that Buck realised were a mixture of reassurances and curses aimed at the bastards that had done this to his friend.

"No," came a hoarse whisper, barely heard by the men gathered around him.

Chris's jaw tightened, he looked up to see Vin's eyes open, unfocused and glazed with pain. Yet there was determination in those eyes, there was fight left yet.

"Never... win."

"Nathan," Josiah said, coming into the room with purpose. The tone of his voice had all three men looking up from Vin. He sounded enraged.

Josiah was in fact beyond rage. He had just returned from the room they had held Vin and had seen the bloodied instruments laid out on the table with silent anger and the blood that stained the ground around the now hacked rope still tied to the roof beam. If Chris hadn't already killed that man, he wasn't sure what he would do to him. He crouched down and held out a vial for Nathan to see.

"Found this in that room."

Nathan peered at the glass bottle. "Let me smell it," he said, crouching forward for Josiah to hold the bottle to his nose, not wanting to remove his hands from applying pressure to Vin's wounds. He sniffed the bottle and frowned in concentration.

"What is it?" Buck demanded.

Nathan ignored him and took another sniff. He continued to frown. "Don't know… never smelt anything like it."

Josiah pocketed the vial.

"You think they gave him somethin' Nate?" Buck asked.

"I'm sure of it now." Nathan replied. "It explains why his pupils look how they do. It ain't just pain and blood loss causin' that glazed look he's got."

"Josiah, take my place, I'll go check in with JD," Buck said, waiting for the larger man to take his spot and heading out without looking back at Vin. If he stopped to think about the shape he was in a second longer he wasn't sure if he could think straight.

Ezra passed him in the doorway, carrying bundles of sheets and blankets in his arms.

"Great Ezra, tear them up." Nathan ordered.

As he felt the pressure again press on his aching chest and back, Vin gave a low moan of despair. "Fuck you, Meriss... coward…"

"Vin, its Chris. He's dead Pard, he can't hurt you no more." Chris knew it was useless but he had to try. He wished to hell he hadn't killed Meriss so quick, but he knew his next bullet would have been been aimed at Vin's head and that no amount of pressure would save Vin from a wound like that. He'd had no choice but to kill him then and there, he couldn't risk him getting his shot off.

"Chris?"

Chris leaned closer to Vin's face, hearing the almost inaudible whisper.

"Yeah Pard. Just take it easy, we've got your back."

"Wants me... alive... don't know how... stop..."

Chris closed his eyes, he knew what Vin was saying, but did not know how to comfort him. Vin was a major part of his life now, he and the boys were a compelling reason to get up and face each day. He'd never had to confront his feelings before now, but he suddenly knew that if he lost Vin this way, he didn't know what he would do. He was a brother to him, plain and simple.

"It's ok," he said in a ragged voice, emotion threatening to overcoming him for the moment. "I got him, it's ok now. Just take it easy."

"No... not ok.. not gonna…. can't hold..."

There was an oppressive silence as everybody listened to his painfully spoken words, the only noise his ragged breathing.

"They're gonna be back," Chris said finally. He looked at Nathan, a question in his eyes.

"We can't move him like this, he'll never make it," Nathan told him straight. "I'd take the clinic over this place any day and it's true I don't have nearly enough supplies here, but Chris I'm tellin' you, you try an' move him now, with that bullet still in him an' all the blood he's lost, he's ain't gonna make it. Keepin' him still, trying to patch him up, that's the best chance we can give him."

Chris held his gaze a moment longer before he again looked down to Vin. He couldn't let Vin die. Those men would be back, but they would just have to deal with them, Nathan would move Vin if he could. He looked at Josiah. "We need to get back out there then."

"I need some extra hands in here," Nathan told him.

"I'll stay," Chris said.

"Here's the sheets you need," Ezra said, placing the pile of blankets and sheets he had made short work of turning into makeshift bandages down beside Nathan.

"Thanks, Ezra."

Josiah gave Vin's good shoulder a squeeze, his head bowed a moment and eyes closed before he stood and headed back out, Ezra a step behind him. He went to the front of the building and took up a position at the main window by the door, breaking the glass and checking his gun.

Chris hadn't moved from Vin's side since they'd laid him on the bed and could see that Vin was sweating profusely and starting to mumble incoherently. As the minutes stretched the words continued and every now and then they'd catch a few words that would cause both of them to clench their jaws in renewed anger at what they heard. Each time they would meet each others eye and there was a vow between them, unspoken, to never betray Vin by repeating what they were hearing.

"I need to close this wound and get that bullet out," Nathan said after a few minutes. "I need to get a fire going, boil some water."

"I'll do it," Chris said, placing his hand on Vin's uninjured shoulder as he moved to stand, just as Josiah had done a moment before.

"You reckon they'll come back, Buck?" JD asked as they scoped the building for the best vantage to watch for approaching men.

"You can count on it kid. More than money now to those boys, they were onto a good thing here, be mighty pissed we broke up their little band." He pointed to the roof of a building, "seems a good spot to keep a lookout."

"Sure thing," JD said making to find a way up there.

"JD." JD turned at Bucks quiet voice. He turned to see worry openly reflected on his face. "Take it easy kid, watch yer back."

JD grinned, "You too old timer."

Ezra, meanwhile, found the bunkhouse the men had come from and went inside. He figured if he was one of the men who had fled, he'd want to come back for his things. He too broke a window and got comfortable for a long wait.

Finally satisfied that his instruments had had long enough to sterilise, Nathan had Chris get them from the boiling water over the fire that had been set in the well-equipped kitchen. As Chris laid them out on one of the sheets Nathan had also had him boil, Vin chose that moment to rouse.

"Nathan..?" His voice was almost a whisper, raw and pained.

"Hush now, you just rest," Nathan told him quietly, putting a hand to his forehead and feeling the heat starting to come off him.

Giving up on Nathan, Vin turned his head to the other figure hovering at his side. "Chris."

"Right here pard," Chris said, squeezing Vin's arm.

"Sorry…"

"You listen to Nathan and lie quiet. It's gonna be ok."

"I'm sorry… so sorry. I killed them… Stopped him... just a boy… just a... boy... shouldn't die..."

His eyes were looking in Chris's direction but they weren't seeing him, that much Chris knew. They had a glazed, far off look. Chris kept talking to him, trying to comfort him with low words.

"Hold him down, he aint gonna like this, but we gotta get it outta there and look at the rest of him. I aint got no Laudanum, wish to God I did but I was waitin' on supplies to come yesterday."

Chris grabbed hold of Vin's shoulders as Nathan poured Carbolic onto the bullet wound on his chest and started to clean it out as best he could. Vin's back arched off the bed with surprising strength and he groaned with the pain, his breathing becoming more rapid. "Bastard," he spat, relaxing back onto the bed and saying on a sigh, "should have died..." He closed his eyes but was still conscious.

"Easy there Pard, nearly done." Chris looked at Nathan, his own pain showing clearly in his eyes. "Should I knock him out?" he asked quietly, his tone hopeful.

Nathan considered it. "It'd probably be better for him and us both, but I'll tell you straight Chris, he aint in good shape. The blood he's lost... I reckon the only thing keepin' him alive is his own damn stubbornness and defiance."

Chris looked down at Vin again with questions forming in his mind. Why did this happen to Vin? Why did people do things like this to people like him? Vin who never willingly hurt anyone, who placed such great value on the life of all living creatures. What was the story behind that Meriss guy, would he ever find out?

"I'm gonna close up the exit wound first, that's the one bleedin' the worst. We gotta turn him over."

As Chris moved to help turn him, he felt Nathan's hand on his arm. "Chris… I don't think you saw before…"

"I saw," Chris bit out shortly.

"Then you know they've whipped him… bad."

Chris gave a short nod, not trusting his voice right then as his eyes went to Vin's chest, as if he could see through it to his back.

"Just wanted to warn you," Nathan said. "Come on, let's fix him up," he tried to encourage, seeing the strain on Chris's face.

They turned him over and Chris then got a good long look at the extent of damage to his best friend's back. He couldn't stop the sting that came to his eyes, wasn't even aware of anything but the site before him as Nathan moved in with more carbolic. And then he was holding Vin again as he bucked against the pain pouring into his wounds. He remained in a detached state as Nathan closed the shoulder wound and they finally turned him over again to close the smaller entry wound. It wasn't until Nathan was probing into the older bullet wound and Vin again cried his name that he snapped out of his daze and looked down in shock to see Vin's vivid blue eyes staring back at him, dulled with pain.

"Chris… you ok?" he hissed between his clenched teeth.

Chris was shocked and ashamed that Vin was worrying about him. He hastened to reassure him. "You just worry about you," he said gruffly.

Nathan again dug in, trying to locate the bullet and again Vin arched and cried out. The first tremors of fever were beginning to emerge and he again clamped his teeth tight against the pain. Every now and then the fog covering his brain would clear and he got a clear picture of Nathan and Chris hovering above him. "Nate..?" he asked weakly.

Nathan looked up, "Quiet Vin, let us fix you up, save your strength."

Vin promptly ignored him. He didn't know how long it would be before the fog came back and he wanted to talk now. Anything but to think about what Nathan was doing to his shoulder. "Gave me... somethin'… made me swallow it.. pain ev.. everywhere…." The last came out on a sharply exhaled breath as Nathan finally located the bullet.

"I know Vin, I know. _Jesus_ you never talk and now you wont shut the hell up. It's gonna be fine, _you're_ gonna be fine if you just lay quiet ok?" He was reaching for his large tweezers while he held the wound open.

"Made me drink it…. Still can't... think…."

Nathan looked at him, "Vin," he said sternly, waiting until Vin looked at him hazily, "It'll wear off, just relax and it'll go away. It's just me an' Chris here, you're safe with us. " Vin seemed to understand and remained quiet.

"Hold tight Chris," Nathan commanded softly.

Josiah heard Vin yell from the front room and figured as long as he was making noise he was still alive. What he'd give to have that man back again just for five minutes while he gave some back to him.

Nathan felt the bullet with his tweezers and Vin yelled again.

"God... damn... it.." it was almost a plea.

"Nearly there Vin, just one more..."

He got the tweezers clamped and this time he pulled them out with a bullet between them, having lodged itself well into Vin's collarbone. Nathan knew it was going to be a long while before he'd be able to move the shoulder and knew that Vin would be happy that it wasn't his shooting arm. He almost smiled as he had that thought, closing the wound and realising that he looked forward to Vin being well enough to be pissed off over his wounds and being stuck in the clinic drinking his "ditch-water", as he liked to call it. He had to drink it often enough, he should know, Nathan supposed.

"What's so funny?" Chris asked, wanting to distract himself, Vin was shivering more now with the fever that was beginning to rise.

"Jus' thinkin' on all the ditch water Vin's gonna have to drink soon." Nathan said optimistically, working on the stitching the wound closed. He would have to bind it tightly once he'd cleaned up Vin's back to hold it in place. It was going to take a long while for the bone to mend.

"Tastes like… shit…," Vin said and they were heartened to see a slight pull of his lip.

Nathan chuckled despite his concern. Vin's fever was rapidly taking hold and he knew it wouldn't be long until he made no sense at all. He hurried to clean the knife wounds and stitch them closed before turning him once more to clean his back. As he poured the last of the carbolic onto his back Vin finally gave a sharp, anguished cry that was more of a curse aimed at Nathan than anything else and passed out.

Chris was relieved that Vin finally had a respite from the pain. There wasn't much Nathan could do but sew some of the larger slashes closed and clean them up as best he could. They decided they would leave him on his side, with his good shoulder beneath him, for the time being. His breathing was ragged but not too shallow so they would keep a close eye on him as they worked to keep his fever down.

"Need to get these pants off him," Nathan said. "He's got a wound on his leg there." He held him up while Chris undid his belt and they slipped his buckskin pants down, revealing another nasty knife wound in the back of his leg.

"Might have some whisky in my saddlebags," Chris said, looking to Nathan.

"You better see. I used the last of the Carbolic on his back and this is deep, into the bone."

Chris flinched, this time putting his hand to the back of Vin's matted hair before he left.

"Everything alright Josiah?" Chris asked as he moved to the door.

Josiah didn't turn from the window. "Quiet as a mouse. Vin?"

"He's passed out. Finally. Nate's run out'a carbolic, I'm goin' for the whisky in my saddlebag."

Josiah nodded, there was no need to tell a gunslinger to watch his back, it was basic instinct.

Chris surveyed everything from the window where Josiah had stood by the door. His sharp eyes took in everything from the ground to the building to the rooftops to the trees beyond. He couldn't see JD, Buck or Ezra, which was a good thing. He moved to the door and stepped out, making his way to the small livery he'd noticed on the way in, amongst all of the gunfire.

Ezra saw Chris step out of the building and adjusted his aim to cover him, looking beyond Chris to make sure there was no-one else watching him crossing to the livery.

Chris saw the glint reflect from Ezra's gun and swung his gaze his way, giving the man a brief nod before he kept moving.

Ezra hoped that nod was also saying Vin was alright.

Up on the roof JD was becoming bored. The sun had risen steadily in the hour he had been up there and he was starting to sweat. He was just contemplating going down for some water when he saw movement in the distance. He waited to make sure what he was seeing were men and not animals in the trees or Buck would give him hell for calling the alarm. But animals didn't wear bright red shirts. These men sure weren't too smart if they were planning an attack. Instantly he let out a whistle that would signal to Buck that there were men heading in.

Buck became instantly alert from where he was sitting leaning against a chimney stack on a roof opposite JD's building. The chimney gave him some shade and respite from the heat but he was dreading the sun moving directly overhead and frying him the longer he stayed up there. He popped his head round and caught JD's eye as he signalled to him that there were two men coming in and where they were moving in from. The men had split up to come in from different sides. Buck indicated he would take the one coming his way and JD acknowledged he'd take the other one and they turned away from each other.

The men crept closer, having not seen the lookouts on the roof. They'd thought about waiting for nightfall but had impatiently decided to get on with it. They figured they had the advantage of knowing the place well and also figured the men who'd attacked would probably have moved on anyway. They planned on grabbing their things and heading into the main building via the back to grab the money they figured Meriss had to keep in the house that he'd planned to pay them with once Vin Tanner was dead. Then they'd grab their horses and get the hell out of there.

They approached from different sides, one heading for the bunkhouse, the other for the main building.

Buck had been watching his man approach, waiting for him to move round the livery wall when he'd ducked back in and headed in Chris's direction. Damn. He scrambled down and hurried to the livery to warn Chris.

Just as he rounded the livery Chris caught a glimpse of a man coming out and before he could react he was flat on the ground in the dirt, sent down by a sharp blow to the head with the butt of a rifle as the man blew past him.

JD kept the other man in his sights, but he kept to the tree-line and he was yet to get a clear shot. The man was being cautious but JD was patient. He'd be ready when he came out from the cover of the trees.

Ezra was standing ready at the window when he heard a noise from the next building. A crack and then a moan followed by nothing. He was darting his gaze out front when there was a load crack and he turned to see a man dropping through the roof behind him, amidst timber and thatching. Before he could get a shot off the man ducked and rolled behind a set of drawers and Ezra was now out in the open. He dove for a nearby bed as the man opened fire. Quickly he turned the bed on its side hoping the wooden slats would offer some protection from the bullets heading his way. He returned fire from the side of the bed before he felt a burning sensation in his shoulder and realised he'd been hit through the slats.

He clutched his shoulder thinking _'where is everyone?_'

Buck found Chris dragging himself up off the livery floor and moved to pull him up. "Sorry, he turned too sudden in your direction, I had no time to warn you. C'mon, I think he's headin' for the bunkhouse."

Chris dusted himself off, putting a hand gingerly to the side of his head. It was throbbing with the pain from the blow but he was thinking clearly. "Ezra's in there."

JD heard the shooting coming from the bunkhouse and grew more impatient. Were his friends in trouble? Damn damn damn… He was distracted, trying to see if he could make out anyone below the building and when he looked back up he saw a flash of red dash behind the first building from the trees. _Damn!_ He cursed himself in a thousand ways for his stupidity. He'd never get a shot off now and the buildings were so close together the man could get to the main one easily. He scampered down from the roof, still cursing himself as he cautiously moved towards the main building where his friends were inside.

Vin was shaking hard, the tremors were racking his body and causing him to lose energy faster than Nathan wanted him too. He was clearly exhausted and when he dozed his mind obviously would not let him rest. Nathan could do nothing more than sooth him with quiet words and try to cool him down with a cloth and cool water from a pump he found in the kitchen, much to his surprise. He checked and rechecked bandages but was concerned he had nothing to clean the leg wound with. One small thanks was that he knew the man that had put the knife there was meticulous in his care of his weapons, it helped if the knife was free of dirt in the first place.

"N... nate?" Vin tried to talk through his chattering teeth.

Nathan was alarmed but trying not to show any hint of it to Vin. Still, his words gave him away. "Vin please… please just stay quiet, all right? You gotta save your strength for gettin' well… you've never listened to me before, but now I'm tellin ya, ya gotta do's I say…"

But as Nathan expected, Vin didn't listen, although it wasn't entirely his fault. He was back in his delirium and moaning softly. Nathan made out the words, "Never… break me…"

Ezra looked at the mattress from his side of the upturned bed that was now peppererd with holes. How he hadn't taken another bullet God only knew, but he knew he had to do something because it was only a matter of time. He looked to the door and was stunned and relieved to see it fly open and Buck and Chris barge in, aiming their guns around the room.

"Behind the chest!" Ezra yelled.

Chris and Buck aimed shots at the large wooden chest and moved toward it. Ezra came out from behind the bed, clutching his shoulder but still ready to fire.

"There's three of us, cowboy, give it up," Buck ordered the man still yet to show himself. The following silence told them there was no way he was giving up that easy. He was prepared for a showdown against the greater odds.

"Fucking cowboys," Buck cursed to Chris, shaking his head. Chris's lip twitched in response, this guy was cactus…

Josiah could hear the gunfire across the path and kept scanning outside for any sign of movement. He was completely unprepared for the shot that whizzed past his head, nicking his temple as it shattered the window, _from behind him. _It was the last thing he registered as he fell unconscious to the floor.

JD had lost sight of the man in the red shirt but knew where he was heading, he was a building over when he heard the shot that took Josiah down.

Nathan jumped at the close shot and looked up in shock to see a gunman in the doorway. _'How had a man in such a bright shirt gotten past everyone?'_ was his fleeting thought. His hand moved for his gun instinctively but the man stopped him. "Don't even think about it. Throw your gun out this way."

Nathan looked down at Vin and did as he was ordered. Damn, what had happened to the others?

Red Shirt gathered up Nathan's gun belt and started moving about the room, keeping his gun aimed at Nathan as he searched for the money he was sure Meriss kept there. There was little in the room to search, just a desk and closet and he quickly realised it wasn't in there. He moved over to the bed and looked thoughtfully down at Vin, sweating and shivering in pain. He kept his gun on Nathan who was in a chair on the other side of the bed and suddenly reached down to yank the mattress up to reveal the slats below. Nathan reached out as Vin was pushed forward.

"What are you doing? What are you after?" Nathan said angrily, trying to stop Vin from falling to the floor.

"What's mine," the man snarled, having lost his patience now. He ran to another room and Nathan could hear him tearing it apart before he again came back and looked at the bed. His face showed he'd made a decision. "Get 'im up," he ordered Nathan.

Nathan just looked at him in shock. "He can't go anywhere."

The man raised his gun and pointed it at Vin's head. "Paper says dead or alive, mister, don't matter none ta me, jus' figured it'd be easier if you hauled his ass fer me an you'd probably be more willin' ta do that if'n he's still alive."

Nathan closed his eyes a moment. Would this never end for Vin? Hadn't he suffered enough?

"Hurry up! Get movin'!"

Nathan stood and put his hands on Vin's shoulders. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. To the man he said, "Just let me get his pants on."

When the man protested he said, "Would attract less attention on the way to Texas if a man wasn't naked on a horse."

"Jis' hurry up."

Nathan began to slip the blood-covered pants back on, trying to buy time for all it was worth which, to Vin in his state, was a lot.

Chris and Buck were both calm as they stopped a few feet from the chest. There was no doubt who would win here, but they would be stupid to make light of the situation. There was always a chance the man would get a shot off and hit one of them.

Finally the cowboy rose from behind the heavy chest of drawers and stood facing them, waving his gun back and forth between them.

"Doesn't have to go down like this, son. You can hand the gun over all peacable-like," Buck informed him.

"Like fuck I will. I came for what's mine."

"You know we can't let you leave here." Chris said in a low voice, not moving his eyes from the man before him.

The cowboy looked into the man in blacks' eyes then and with totally certainty, knew he wasn't going to walk out of there.

"He's jist a damned Injun-lovin' half breed, what the fuck do you care?" he spat angrily.

Wrong words. Larabee's eyes narrowed and Bucks jaw tightened. Ezra took his position next to them and he faced all three, their faces angry and all directed at him.

"I don't take lightly to people hurting my friends. You fuck with them, you've fucked with me."

The man swallowed unconsciously and his fingers twitched. Damn these righteous bastards to hell, he would go down fighting.

Chris saw the intention in the man's eyes the second before he attempted to fire his gun and had two shots off before the man could even squeeze his trigger. His arm fell back down as his body was kicked backwards, a shot from both Ezra and Buck adding to his impact with the wooden chest behind him.

After a struggle with the dirty, blood caked buckskins, Nathan got them up and tied them loosely at Vin's lean waist. He then grabbed some sheets for extra bandages and got his own shoulder under Vin's good arm. The sharpshooter was dead weight and he struggled to haul him up and to the doorway.

Vin started to come around with a low growl of pain and as they got to the door Nathan saw Josiah sprawled on the floor by the window, blood streaming down the side of his face. "Let me look at him." He said to Red Shirt, knowing it was futile but having to ask anyway.

"Keep movin'." He indicated the door with his gun.

Nathan stepped out on the porch just as JD stepped out in front of him. He dove instinctively, taking Vin with him as he went right, trying to protect him with his own body as they landed. He heard the shot as JD fired and looked back to see the man, his gun unfired, fall to his knees. He managed to raise his gun at JD in a last effort but was driven back by several more bullets that entered his chest and he fell, dead, to the floorboards beneath him.

JD turned to see Chris, Buck and Ezra all standing with their guns smoking on either side of him and smiled, happy they were all alive and standing there in one piece.

Nathan began to rise from the floor of the porch and they all moved to help him. Buck took Vin and they moved back inside.

"Josiah!" JD exclaimed and rushed to the fallen man.

Nathan ran quickly to check the wound and was relieved that Josiah began to moan and flutter his eyes in reaction as he touched the wound on his temple. "I'll just look to Vin and then check out this head wound," Nathan said, rising. As he moved to the bedroom he turned to Chris, "Did you get the whisky?"

Buck laughed, a short bark that had everyone else smiling despite the seriousness of the day's events. Chris raised an eyebrow at Nathan's retreating back, a smile tugging at his own lips. "Got a little sidetracked."

"Ezra's been shot Nathan, you'll need to look at that too. Bullet's still in there," Buck called after him, guiding Ezra to a chair near the front window.

There was a groan from Nathan from the other room, "Anyone else shot, stabbed, drugged, bleedin' from the head?"

"I'll go, Chris. You check on Vin," Buck said, turning back for the door to go after some whisky. He didn't have any in the saddlebags of the horse he'd borrowed, but he knew there would be some in Chris's.

Chris gave Ezra a look to make sure he was okay and then went straight to the room where Nathan had headed with Vin. "How's he doin'?" he asked softly, taking in Vin's pale skin and the lines of pain around his mouth and eyes.

"He's in a lot of pain…" Nathan let his voice fade and then looked up to meet Chris's eyes.

Chris looked back at him and saw the words Nathan couldn't say... He didn't think Vin was going to make it.

"I ain't givin up on him, Nathan," he said with steel in his voice, "and you're not either." It was a command.

Nathan lowered his gaze. How could he tell him?

"Still…. here.. ya know," came Vin's voice from the bed.

Chris chuckled despite his worry. "Sorry cowboy, how ya doin'?"

"Feel like.. shit…"

The rest of the boys smiled at that, having taken positions out of the way around the room. Typical Vin crude fashion, but he got his message across effectively.

A wave of pain made him tense and grip Chris's arm tight. When he had some control again his voice shook as he asked, "Everyone.. ok?" and tried to see past the bed to who was there.

"All present and accounted for, Mr Tanner." Ezra returned, having come to the room when he heard Vin's voice. Vin narrowed his gaze at the southerner, his vision was still hazy but he could make out Ezra holding his shoulder, "You hurt… Ez?" he slurred, but lost consciousness again before he got an answer.

"Only a graze compared to you, my friend," Ezra returned softly, surprising everyone with the emotion in his voice.

Nathan turned to him, "Sit down before you fall down and I have to stitch your head too. JD you wanna boil some more water and set my things to sterilise again?" He turned back to Chris, "We gotta get some fluids in him before his fever kicks in again and believe me, it will. I'm gonna look to Josiah and Ez, we need to send Buck and JD back to town to get some supplies."

"I'll take care of it Nate, look after the others."

Chris was about to speak when he felt Vin's hand squeeze his.

"Chris." It was barely a whisper.

Chris's face instantly softened and he squeezed the hand back. "Vin."

"You ok? Everyone ok?"

"Yep pard, everyone's fine, you rest now."

Vin gathered his strength, there were things he wanted to get said but his dry mouth wasn't helping. "This whole thing.. started 'fore you's around…"

Chris narrowed his eyes and his jaw ticked. He could hear it in Vin's voice, he was squaring things away before he could rest.

Vin opened his eyes and looked at him hazily. Another wave of pain took him before he could say more and he tensed, closing his eyes again to ride it out. He could still feel the drug coursing through his system but was beginning to realise that at the times the pain came were the moments he actually thought the clearest.

"You listen to me Tanner, you're not going anywhere and neither are we. It's not your time cowboy. Damn it look at me!" he grabbed Vin's bruised jaw gently and turned his face forcibly to look at him. _"You open your damn eyes and look at me!"_ he ordered and Vin managed to open his eyes and hold them to Chris's face, the command in his tone causing him to do it without thought. But his gaze was unfocused, distant.

"Now you listen, this aint your time to go, you got too much to do to go bailin' out on us! You hearin' me?" When Vin's eyes continued to drift he gave him a shake. "Vin!"

"Chris.." Nathan started, turning from Ezra to look at him over his shoulder.

"Hear you, cowboy… damn, can't help but…. hear you…"

Nathan looked down at Vin and was amazed to see a slight smile on Vin's lips despite his pain.

Chris held Vin's gaze and in that unholy way of theirs they seemed to say something, until Chris seemed to relax and take the seat next to the bed. "Well alright then."

The rest of the boys just shook their heads. Chris was ordering Vin not to up and die on him, and damned if Vin wasn't doing it just for him.

The next few days saw them constantly trying to cool Vin down, forcing water down his throat, most of which he threw up but managed to keep enough down to sustain him. After three days Vin's fever had dropped some and JD and Buck had returned with the supplies that Nathan had written down. Finally able to give Vin laudanum for the pain eased some of the tension from Nathan and he again cleaned all the wounds and applied salve to his back. After a week it appeared he was improving, although he still slept fitfully, but Nathan guessed that his dreams would remain troubled for a while yet. Sheer determination had kept him alive, he knew that. They could all hear it in his ramblings as he slept. They pieced together bits and pieces that he unconsciously gave them, knowing full well that he would never willingly tell them all of what had happened to him.

Dusk was falling at the end of the long week and they were starting to make preparations for returning to town with the wagon JD and Buck had brought back when he heard Vin say loudly, "Damn Nathan, how come ya never run shorta supply on this shit? I know y'could make it taste better if ya tried! You just wannit ta taste like crap ta make me suffer more!"

"Just shut the hell up and drink it before I call Josiah in to hold your head still and I pour it down ya."

Silence. No sarcastic comeback.

Chris popped his head around the door frame and immediately saw how pale Vin looked. He could see Vin's eyes were unfocused as Nathan stood there wondering what had happened to his patient. "Vin? You ok?"

Vin turned his head to Chris and blinked. "Yeah… fine." But the look he turned back to Nathan was like he had just seen a ghost.

Nathan thought about what he'd said and put it together. "Vin, you know I'd never do that," he told him in a quiet, sincere voice. He knew, from what Vin had said during his fever and what they had pieced together in that room, that what he had just threatened was exactly how they had drugged him when they were torturing him.

"I know that Nate." He took the cup quietly and downed it all with no further protest.

"Damn it I told you to sip it your gonna-" too late, he spoke the warning and quickly held a basin under Vin as he lost the drink in one sharp heave.

Nathan looked at him and felt a smile reach his lips even as he shook his head. "You did that on purpose."

Vin looked at Chris, ready to argue, but Chris shook his head.

"Don't look at me cowboy, I'm not helping you!" He chuckled low as he left Nate to it, returning outside to the sound of more arguing from the bedroom. Yes it was going to be a long road back, but they were gonna travel it together, wherever it went and with these boys, it was never going to be dull.

END


End file.
